By Adesuwa Tsan
365Daily – Following the demise of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has officially called off the Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land chieftaincy ceremony which was to celebrate the conferment of the title on him by the late monarch.
The event was supposed to hold on May 27, 2022, as part of events to mark the 60th birthday of the Speaker which comes up in June.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr. Lanre Lasisi, made this known on Sunday, April 24, 2022.
The statement noted that his Royal Highness, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, had communicated the conferment of the title of Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila through an appointment letter dated September 7, 2021, and presented to the Speaker on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the National Assembly, Abuja.
He said the letter was presented by members of the Oyomesi Council led by the Bashorun of Oyo Kingdom, High Chief Olayinka Ayoola, who is the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo Kingdom and Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu; upon which the Speaker, in turn, accepted the appointment with gratitude to God.
Lasisi continued: “However, due to the tight work schedule of the Speaker, the chieftaincy ceremony could not hold throughout 2021, until this year when the date of May 27, 2022, was agreed with the palace, but as God in His majesty will have it, the revered monarch passed away on Friday night before the distribution of invitation cards for the event (May Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaus).
“Naturally, the event can no longer hold as the Speaker, the entire Yoruba race and Nigerians home and abroad mourn the demise of the widely respected monarch.”